Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe &
Video

This Pumpkin Cheesecake has
three layers. It starts with a ginger flavored Graham Cracker Crust. Next,
the cream cheese filling combines a New York style cheesecake with the
earthy flavor of pumpkin puree and its complementary spices. The cake is
finished with a smooth layer of vanilla flavored sour cream. This dessert is
excellent any time of the year, but it's particularly nice in the Fall.

So let's start with the crust. It is a basically a Graham
Cracker Crust, only some of the graham cracker
crumbs are replaced with crushed ginger cookies (homemade or store bought). This adds a
wonderful spicy flavor which goes so well with the pumpkin flavored cheesecake
filling. If you prefer a plain graham cracker crust, replace the crushed
ginger cookies with 1/2 cup (50 grams) of graham cracker crumbs (or
crushed Digestive Biscuits).

When making
cheesecakes make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature so they
blend together to create a smooth texture. In order to prevent the
cheesecake from cracking beat the ingredients at low speed as, unlike a
butter cake, you do not want to incorporate a lot of air into the batter.
You only want to beat the ingredients until they are nice and smooth. And
use full fat cream cheese and have it at room temperature as cold cream cheese is harder to
beat and you can end up with graininess. You
can use canned pure pumpkin in this recipe or make your own pumpkin puree.
Fortunately there are excellent brands of canned pumpkin on the market which
match the quality of homemade. Just use the pure pumpkin puree that
does not have any spices added to it. Now, if you want to make your own puree,
use the smaller pumpkin varieties like Sugar Pie, Baby Bear or Cheese
Pumpkin (approximately 5-7 lbs., 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 kg.). To make the
puree, cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise, remove seeds and stringy fibers,
and place cut-side down on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees
F (180 degrees C) for approximately 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours (depending on
size) or until easily pierced with a knife. Scoop out the pulp and
puree in a food processor until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth
to extract all the liquid. Cool before using.

Judging when a cheesecake is fully baked always presents
a challenge, as they do need to be removed from the oven when the
center is still a little wet and wobbly. Cracking can also be a
problem. As a cheesecake bakes its moisture evaporates. If too
much moisture is lost (when overcooked), or if it evaporates too quickly
(oven temperature too hot) cracking will occur. So be sure to follow
your recipe's instructions. Also, to prevent cracking, shortly after
you remove the cheesecake from the oven, run a sharp knife around the inside
edge of the cheesecake. Once the cheesecake has completely cooled,
cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, preferably
overnight. This
allows the cake to set, flavors to meld, and produces a creamier texture.

Pumpkin Cheesecake: Preheat
your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place
the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick spray, an 8 inch (20 cm) spring form pan.

Crust: In a medium
sized bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, crushed ginger cookies,
sugar, and melted butter. (This can be done in your food processor.)
Evenly press the mixture onto the bottom of
the prepared pan. Bake about 8 minutes or until set. Let cool
while you make the cheesecake filling.

Pumpkin
Cheesecake: In a separate bowl, combine the sugar with the ground cinnamon,
ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.

In the bowl
of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese,
on low speed, until
smooth. Add the sugar mixture and beat until
combined and creamy smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating
until incorporated. Scrape down
the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract and pumpkin
puree. Pour the filling over the
crust and place the spring form pan onto a larger baking sheet to catch any drips.

Before baking the
cheesecake, place a pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven.
This will keep the air moist. Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes at 350
degrees C (180 degrees C) and then reduce the
oven temperature to 325 degrees C (165 degrees C) and continue to bake the
cheesecake for another 10 - 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake are
puffed but the center still looks a little wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan.

Topping: Meanwhile, whisk
together the sour cream with the vanilla extract and sugar. Immediately spread the topping over the cheesecake and return to the oven and bake
about 8 to 10 minutes to set the topping. Remove from oven and place on a wire
rack to cool. Loosen the cheesecake from the pan by running a flat spatula
or sharp knife around
the inside edge (this will help prevent the cake from cracking). Then
place a piece of foil over the top of the pan so the cheesecake will
cool slowly. When completely cooled, cover
and refrigerate at least eight hours, preferably overnight, before serving. This
cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator for about five days, or it can be
frozen.

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